Stevie Wonder Saturday

WWSWD?

He'd sing one of my favorite tunes of all time... LIVE



Stevie's the MAN! Continue having a KICK BUTT weekend!

Paris BABY!

I found the new "Brand Ambassador" mobile. It runs on compost and chlorophyll.

When we last parted ways the entire staff of Velorambling INC. was arriving in Paris. I left with a picture of the Eiffel Tower for dramatic effect but in reality the arrival looked more like this.



From the train station we did see the Eiffel Tower and more on the way to the hotel.

Note the barricades in place for the Tour finale. This is the final right hand turn the peloton takes onto the Champs Elysses

Speaking of the Champs...

After we were checked in and got situated a few of us went on a walk through Paris. We started up the Champs and turned at the Arc de Triomphe.

We saw lots of cool stuff







All of this walking required nourishment so....

A stop at the Creperie was in order. The two skinniest people dive in.

Nutella and banana was the Crepe du jour.

Later that evening we all piled in to the bus and headed to Mont Martre.

This was the backdrop for our four course French Meal. Meaning we had to walk up the steps to it and go around to the neighborhood behind it. We didn't eat outside but in a VERY nice restaraunt where I promptly forgot to take out my camera and began to eat and imbibe.

View from the top out over the city.

There were people everywhere. Lounging, Drinking, Kissing, Carrying on, and there were street performers.

In my opinion this guy was the most impressive. He stood on an elevated concrete pad and juggled the "Futbol" with his feet for quite awhile. He was very good, and THEN he did the "pole dance". He climbed that thing all while juggling the ball with his feet.

What was almost as equally impressive was that no-one bothered him about it. In the U.S of A the authorities would not take kindly to climbing like that.

Some of the French Gendarmes don't look like they can take much of a joke either.



I did manage to fire off one last picture before going in to dinner.

This has gone on for far too long so I am gonna hold off on the Grand Finale until Monday. Then we will look at a few tourist pic's from the Eiffel tower and The Race Pic's.

Here's a teaser...



Now for all of you readers who are'nt from the fine Keystone State of Pennsyltucky here is a glimpse into how we do it.

Wednesday Quote

Surprisingly I chose NOT to eat here. It just didn't sound appetizing.

‎"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." - G.B. Shaw

I was gonna quote Steven Tyler and Aerosmith with "I'm Back in the Saddle Again" but I liked the top one better. So I didn't. Back up and running from a whirlwind tour to Switzerland and France. I think I finally kicked jet-lag's butt and I'm ready for adventure. Today's post will be heavy on the photo's. If a picture is worth a thousand words then this post's word count is at a couple hundred thousand. On to the Pic's.

Our hotel was literally on an airstrip where this guy was busy eating planes.

The purpose of the trip was to get our "learn" on and that we did. We saw the new 2011 BMC lineup.

To keep us happy and awake they supplied us with caffeine and snacks.

One of the main goals was to learn about the new Impec and tour the new Manufacturing Facility. Not only did they have their own factory built they had their own energy drink made to go with it. Thing is we were so jazzed from the factory tour that the caffeine didn't have an effect.

The bicycles and the process to make them was amazing. I have been through many facilities, NOTHING had this level of precision. Some would refer to it as "Swiss Precision"

Took a run to a Swiss hardware store for a real cowbell on a tip from lrhg. HELLO Cross season!

Tried to fall asleep watching Swiss T.V.

Competitive Darts. The BEST part of competitive darts is the Unicorn dart board.

Look at the crowds they get. HUH?

Every time I flipped through the channels this funky bread/waffle guy was on. He was a train wreck I had to watch.

David Wafflehoff??

"Nevermore" I know its a bunch of pictures of a T.V. screen but it amused/mortified/amazed me.

After a few quick days it was onto the train and onto......

Paris.

I will wrap up this trip and the going's on in France on Friday. In the mean-time beware of Waffle-Man.

Wednesday Quote

“I've always wanted to go to Switzerland to see what the army does with those wee red knives.” Billy Connolly


My plan was successful. Monday night I stayed up most of the night packing. Tuesday I ran around like a madman getting last minute things done.

I got to the airport and phase two worked to perfection. I had a solid meeting with my associate. You may know him Jack Daniels. Well Jack and I discussed the finer points of life and I had one last phone call before I hopped on the plane.

Once on the plane I sat down and promptly fell asleep. I was out before the plane took off. I woke up once in the middle of the flight and then again just an hour before landing. So out of 8 1/2 hours I slept for 7 1/2.

Once on the ground I got this.



Then I promptly got this.



We picked up some people and Wendy was sporting the fingernails at the top.

I will keep you up to date as I can. The Swiss are hustling me out with typical precision so I'm out. I'll update as I can.

Livin the DREAM!

Hard to believe that this week has gone by so fast. It's already Tuesday the 20th. I had a week off between gigs and it seems like it FLEW past. I got things done but do you ever get it all done? I think not.

Today I leave for Switzerland. It'll be a whirlwind tour. A few days in Grenchen learning about how all the BMC's are built. But specifically learning about the new Impec.

I wonder if I will end up getting one of these...



Or one of these...



The Matte Black is way cool but I really like Red. AHHHHHH the decisions I will be forced to make.

Between wedging information into my cranium there is going to be time to ride. I am very excited about this. I have ridden in Switzerland several times and it never seems to disappoint.

I am especially looking forward to figuring out how this suspension works...



Now to what might be in my opinion one of the coolest bike dork things ever. BMC is hosting a VIP Event around the last two stages of the Tour de France.

STOKED

We will be having a party at Monmartre which is described thusly "Montmartre is the highest hill in Paris at 130 meters. The magnificent Basilica Sacré Coeur was built at the end of the 19th century. Its famous white architecture dominates the city and offers a wonderful view over the Capital. The nearby beautiful streets of Montmarte are full of artists and restaurants."

We will be watching the finishing circuits on the Champs Elysée. And attending the finale party with the BMC team and others. Yeah I'm over the top.

I have been fortunate enough to see an opening prologue. Drive in a team car during the prologue. (2005 when Lance won his 7th) Drive in the car for the first stage of the same tour. Drive to and from the stages in the team bus. I have been in team cars in Philadelphia many times. One time Mike Engleman bounced my head off the headliner in his Ford Taurus station wagon just to see if he could. I have been in the team car at Tour de Georgia many times and MAY have even driven a car on the TT course into Tennesse in 05 when Floyd took the race lead for good from Tom Danielson.

There are MANY more experiences but now I am going to add another that I have wanted to do for a long time. I realized a long time ago that I didn't have the engine to be a professional so I needed to experience these things in a different manner.

Now I am going to have to add the spectacle of a mountain stage in the Tour and my tour experiences will be complete. Not that I wont be happy to repeat any of them.

The Giro and Vuelta are next.

This is why I am Livin the Dream.

My posting's may be sporadic over the next week depending on Internet connection's and time. I will write Wednesday Quote on the plane and upload as possible.

I have started a facebook page for this here endeavor in narcissism. If you care to follow along the page is HERE. I will post some pics here and any rambling thoughts.

Stevie Wonder Saturday

This is the 100th post of My Life Behind Bars. That seems crazy to me and pretty fitting that it would fall on a Stevie Wonder Saturday.

I had to choose something raucous and happening. So I present you with Mid-70's Stevie rockin out live on Sesame Street with one of his all time best tunes SUPERSTITION. Digging the threads man.




That's the way to bring kids up right. Expose them to some good real music not some over commercialized focus group approved kid friendly stuff. Real MUSIC. Did you see the kid rockin out on the balcony, swinging his head, grooving? He was feeling it.

Yeah Stevie's the MAN!

Happy 100th Velorambling.

Kinda goes along with yesterday's century theme.
While I type this Dana is running and running and running. I think I read that she will be running for 24 hours. ROCKSTAR!

A Century by Foot

A majority of you who read this are cyclists. That's all good. Generally cyclists look forward to doing a century. 100 miles on the bike. It's a good goal and something to strive for. I know people feel a great sense of accomplishment when they complete one. Once someone completes a century often times they want to do another one, and then they look toward improving their time.

Now take a look on the left side of this here blog. There is a section for "followers" of this blog. Thank you to all of you. In particular look at the picture on the top left. See that good looking young lady with the cap on. That's Dana. Dana is going to be doing a century tomorrow.

Big Deal you might say. Well it is a BIG DEAL because she is going to be running it! No, nothing is wrong with your computer screen, and yes you read that correctly. Running a century. Dana you are officially a BAD ASS! Do well, I wont wish you luck because you have the training and attitude to kick this things butt.



Sheesh running 100 miles. I'm tired typing about that. This is the self proclaimed Heat Miser's mantra to get her through.



This has been a great week for riding and tour watching. My week off between gigs has allowed me to stack on some miles. This is good because I need some miles in my leg's to have a prayer of a chance to keep up with my new coworkers for at least a few kilometers.

Phil has not disappointed with Liggettism's either.

Two good ones from the past few days. As always these are not direct quotes but paraphrasing as the staff at velorambling is refusing to research and dictate these exactly. I'd call them lazy but they scare me a bit. Especially the guy in accounting who stares at me.

First up supplied by Russell

"Did you see that? Those guys just completely blew through that red light."

During Stage 11 leading up to the Head Butt Incident the peloton was hauling butt to the finish line with a tailwind and Phil pipes up with

"These guys are going to have speed coming out of their ears"

Phil Liggett Rules.

Grab life by the bars this weekend. Live it to the fullest and Think positive thoughts for Dana. 100 miles running, man I'm a slacker.

Wednesday Quote Change

"The only thing constant is change" Unknown



This is one of my all time favorite quotes. It resonates with me. It seems to me that if you are resistant to or "hate" change that you are setting yourself up to be unhappy.

Think of one thing in your life that has stayed exactly the same. I cant think of one. Everything evolves and changes. Embrace it, welcome it and ride the wave. There is a lot less stress that way.

Ive briefly touched on this topic before.

I say this because like everyone my life is changing. As I wrote about on Monday it is changing professionally. Personally, the changes are coming so fast that Andy Schleck couldn't keep up.

As Dory from Finding Nemo would say if fish could ride bikes.

Just Keep Spinning, Just Keep Spinning, Just Keep Spinning.



This random thought got me thinking of this quote.

"A woman needs a man. Like a fish needs a bicycle"

"Apparently, the quote was a famous feminist punchline popularly attributed to Gloria Steinem but was actually coined by Irina Dunn. It turns out she modified a phrase from a philosophical text called Vique's Law:

Man needs Religion like a fish needs a bicycle"

I googled the fish/bicycle quote and THIS PERSON described it so well I decided I didn't want to rephrase it, and I copied and pasted it. So there you have it blatant plagiarism.

I'm gonna stay away from the religion topic like I'm gonna stay away from politics. I'm of the firm belief that you are entitled to your opinions and I am entitled to mine. Let's just not shove our beliefs down each others throats. That's all I've got to say about that.

Now this is supposed to pertain to bikes somehow so I will end with a Liggettism.

The commentators were talking about how the Tour organizers are picking random bikes and X-Raying them to see if they have motors in them. When they go back to Phil and Paul, Phil pipes up with

"Seems like a colossal waste of Time and Money if you ask me" At least it was close to that.

This post has taken me four times as long to write as it should because I keep stopping to watch the tour coverage. 40 K to go I'm signing off to watch the finale.

Catch you on Friday.

Big Man on Campus

For fifteen years I have been an outside sales rep in the bicycle industry. For the last three plus years I have worked for Giant Bicycles. The bicycles are top notch and have gotten better every year since I started.

The best part of working at Giant is the people. There are a dedicated group of people that make the corporate headquarters not so corporate. The people of Giant are great.


This Race-Car driver is a HECK of a good guy.

The Athletes are top notch.

The "Beer Loop" is legendary

The riding is fantastic, Road and mountain. One of my favorite things is to ride through the Malibu hills and over to the Pacific Ocean.





And on to Malibu.



The view from the turn around point.

The reason I am going on and on about Giant is because it's time for me to move on. As Jay-Z would say it's time to go "On To The Next One"



Conveniently Jay-Z is accompanied by Swiss Beatz on this tune. I say conveniently because I am moving over to a Swiss company. BMC.



The opportunity is excellent. I won't just be a Sales Rep either, I am going to be a Brand Ambassador. I KNOW, Fancy RIGHT!

I am excited for the ride. Both the bike and the new opportunity. Follow along I'm sure I'll have plenty to say about it. I will start by recapping my trip to Switzerland and France next week. Not quite sure how this will affect blogging next week but I'll let you know.

It's a great time for the BMC team Cadel is in yellow.

Pic via Pez Cycling News by Cor Vos

And its a great time for BMC. They are debuting a new frame the IMPEC.



I will learn even more about this next week.

THANK YOU to Giant for the opportunity.

THANK YOU to BMC for the opportunity.